Device for launching, landing and portaging a boat



Sept. 13, 1966 M. A. ZORETIC DEVICE FOR LAUNCHING, LANDING AND PORTAGINGA BOAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 6, 1964 INVENTOR. MAX A. ZORETIC BYfind/us i Stark Afomvavs Sept. 13, 1966 M. A. ZORETIC DEVICE FORLAUNCHING, LANDING AND PORTAGING A BOAT Filed Aug. 6, 1964 2Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V ENTOR. MAX A. ZORETIC United States Patent 3,271,798DEVICE F011 LAUNCHING, LANDING AND PORTAGENG A BOAT Max A. Zoretic, P20.Box 23, Ely, Minn. Filed Aug. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 387,948 8 Qlaims. ((11.91)

This invention relates to a device for launching, landing and portaginga boat and more particularly to a retractable wheel assembly adapted tobe used with a small boat, such as a canoe.

In the past, various types of boat portaging devices have been used totransport a boat to and from various lakes in roadless areas. In oneconventional type of portaging device, the boat, after landing, islifted up onto a carriage which is supported by wheels. The boat is thenstrapped onto the carriage and transported. With a device of this type,it is required that the boat be beached, unloaded, lifted onto thecarriage and then the equipment loaded back into the boat fortransporting.

In another common type of portaging device, the portaging wheels aremounted on arms which are pivotally connected to a pipe which extendsacross the boat and the arms extend vertically downward from the gunwaleof the boat. With a device of this type, the track between the wheels isgenerally too wide to follow the path through roadless areas, and thedevice also tends to damage the gunwale of the boat where it isfastened.

The present invention relates to an improved retractable Wheel assemblyfor launching, landing and transporting a small boat, such as a canoe.The device is easily converted from the retracted to the transportingposition, and in the transporting position, the wheels are positivelylocked beneath the hull of the boat.

According to the invention, the portaging assembly includes a pair ofwheel units, each of which comprises a frame which is pivoted to thegunwale and curves downwardly to a position beneath the hull. The lowerend of each frame carries a wheel and the wheels are locked in positionby a keel clamp assembly, which includes a keel hook which is adapted toengage the central keel strip on the bottom of the hull.

The keel hook is actuated by a lever arm which is mounted for pivotingmovement on the upper portion of the frame along the gunwale. The leverarm has three operating positions and includes a release position inwhich the keel hook hangs vertically down along the wheels. By movingthe lever arm to a central position, the keel hook is pivoted upwardlyto a horizontal position with the hook being located on the oppositeside of the keel strip from the wheel frame. In the third or lockedposition, the keel hook is moved into engagement with the keel strip tosecurely lock the wheel unit to the hull of the canoe or boat.

When the boat or canoe is in the water, the wheel units are usuallydetached from the gunwale and can be placed in the bottom of the boat.When the boat is to he landed, the wheel units are engaged with thegunwale clamp and the frames are pushed downwardly so that the wheelsare located beneath the hull of the boat. The lever arms are thenactuated to pivot the keel hooks upwardly and bring the hooks intoengagement with the keel strip to securely lock the wheel units to theboat.

When launching the boat, the boat is merely pushed out into the wateruntil the boat is floating and the wheels no longer touch the beach. Thelever arms can then be actuated to release the keel hooks and the entirewheel units can then be pivoted upwardly and removed from the gunwaleclamps.

The present invention provides a simple and inexpensive device to beused in launching, landing and trans- Patented Sept. 13, 1966 porting aboat, such as a canoe. The wheel units are readily moved to thetransporting position by merely pivoting the wheel frames outwardly anddownwardly, and the wheel units are locked in proper alignment beneaththe hull of the boat where they can support the weight of the boat andthe gear contained within the boat.

As the wheels are located substantialy beneath the hull of the boat,when in the transporting position, the spacing or track between thewheels is narrow so that the boat or canoe can readily be moved downnarrow trails in roadless areas.

The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carryingout the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1'is a side elevation of a canoe incorporating the retractablewheel units with the wheel units in the transporting position;

FIG. 2 is a transverse section taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the wheel unit with the keelhook in the lock position and the phantom lines indicating the unlockedposition of the keel hook; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section showing the keelhook in the locked position and the phantom lines indicating theunlocked position of the keel hook.

The drawings illustrate a portaging device which includes a pair ofretractable wheel units 1 attached to a canoe 2. The wheel units 1 areadapted to be moved from a retracted or storage position within thecanoe to a transporting position located beneath the canoe.

Each of the wheel units 1 includes a tubular frame 3 having an uppercrossbar 4 which is engaged within a C-shaped hinge member 5 of agunwale clamp assembly. The hinge member 5 is secured to an upperclamping member 6 having a horizontal flange which is positioned beneaththe gunwale 7, while a series of lower clamping members 8 are located onthe inner surface of the gunwale and project beneath the gunwale and areconnected to the upper clamping member by a series of bolts 9. Theclamping members 6 and 8 serve to position the hinge member 5 over thegunwale 7.

The tubular frame 3 also includes a pair of generally curved arms 16which extend downwardly from the crossbar 4 and curve beneath the hullof the boat. The curved arms 10 of each wheel frame are connectedtogether by a pair of cross braces 11 and 12. In addition, a pair ofdiagonal braces 13 are secured to each arm 10 and serve to journal theaxle 14 of a wheel 15 which includes a conventional pneumatic tire 16.As best shown in FIG. 2, the wheel 15 is located beneath the hull of thecanoe in a plane substantially midway between a vertical plane passingthrough the centerline of the canoe, and a vertical plane passingthrough the gunwale 7 of the canoe.

In addition, the tubular frame 3 also includes a generally curvedsupport plate 17 having an upper cushioned surface 18 of rubber or thelike which bears against the hull of the canoe.

The wheel units 1 are locked in the transporting position by a pair ofkeel clamp assemblies and each assembly includes a keel hook 19 adaptedto engage the keel strip 20 which extends longitudinally along thecenterline of the hull of the canoe. The keel hook 19 is provided with aseries of curved, pointed tips 21 and in the locked position, the hook19 is located on the opposite side of the keel strip 20 from the wheel15. When the keel hook 19 is drawn laterally, the curved tips 21 engagethe side of the keel strip 20 to firmly hold the wheel assembly inposition.

Each keel hook 19 is secured to the end of a rod 22 which is mounted forsliding movement within a sleeve 23. The keel hook 19 is urged outwardlyaway from the sleeve 23 by a coil spring 24 which is positioned betweenthe hook l9 and the end of the sleeve 23.

The opposite end of the sleeve 23 is secured to a hinge lea-f 25 ofhinge 26. The opposite leaf 27 of hinge 26 is secured to the supportplate 17.

In the unlocked position, the rod 22 and keel hook 19 Will extendvertically downward along the wheel 15, as shown by the right-hand unitin FIG. 2. To pivot the rod 22 upwardly to a horizontal position, asshown by the left-hand wheel unit in FIG. 2, a cable 23 is secured tothe end of the rod 22, and the cable passes over one of a pair ofpulleys 29 secured to brackets 30 mounted on the support plate 17. Theopposite end of cable 28 is secured to one of the forked ends 31 of alever arm 32. The lever arm is mounted for pivoting movement about thelower cross brace 12, and the upper end of the lever arm extends betweencross brace 11 and rod 33.

The lever arm 32 is adapted to be moved between three positions. In theunlocked position, the rod 22 and keel hook 19 will hang verticallyalongside the wheel 15. When the lever arm 32 is moved to the central orneutral position, the rod 22 will be pivoted upwardly through cable 28to a horizontal position. In this position, the keel hook 19 is locatedon the opposite side of the keel strip 20 from the wheel 15, but is outof engagement with the keel strip.

In the third or locked position, the keel hook 19 is moved laterallyagainst the force of the spring 24 to bring the hook 19 into engagementwith the side of the keel strip 20 to thereby securely lock the wheelunit to the keel strip.

The lever arm 32 is held in the unlocked or locked positions byengagement with angle shaped locking pins 34.

When the lever arm is moved to the unlocked position, the rod 22 ispivoted downwardly to a vertical position by a cable 35 which isattached to a bracket 36 mounted on the lower surface of the sleeve 23.The cable 35 passes over a pulley 37 and is secured to a U-shaped springrod 33. A second U-shaped spring rod 39 is disposed around the springrod 38 and a coil spring 44? is interposed between the bent ends of therods 38 and 39. The outer end of the spring rod 39 is connected by cable41 to the other of the forked ends 31 of the lever arm 32.

When the lever arm 32 is moved to the unlocked position, the cable 41 isdrawn laterally outward toward the gunwale, to pivot the hinge leaf 25and thereby pivot the rod 22 to the vertical position, as shown by thephantom lines in FIG. 4.

When the canoe is in the water, the wheel units 1 are generally removedfrom the gunwale clamps and when the boat is to be landed, the crossbars4 of the frames 3 are engaged with the hinge member 5, and the wheelframes 3 are pivoted downwardly in the water until the wheels arelocated beneath the boat. At this time, the lever arm 32 is in theunlocked position. With the wheels positioned beneath the hull of thecanoe, the lever arm 32 is then moved through the central position tothe locked position which causes the rod 22 to pivot upwardly to ahorizontal position and then to move the keel hook 19 laterally intoengagement with the keel strip to firmly secure the wheel unit 1 to thecanoe 2. This engagement insures that the wheels are in proper alignmentand in position to support the weight of the boat and the gear withinthe canoe when the canoe is beached. As the canoe approaches the beach,the tires 16 will contact the beach and the canoe can be readily rolledout of the water and transported without having to remove the gear fromthe canoe.

As the wheels 15 are located substantially beneath the hull of the canoeor boat, the spacing track between the wheels is at a minimum, generallyfrom 15 to 24 inches, depending on the size of the canoe, and thisminimum 4% track enables the wheels to follow narrow trails in road lessareas.

When it is desired to launch the canoe, the canoe is rolled down thebeach into the water until the canoe floats and the tires 1% are out ofcontact with the beach. The lever arm 32 can then be moved from thelocked position to the unlocked position, which will disengage the hooks19 from keel strip 2t and drop the hooks to the vertical position. Thewheel frames 3 can then be pivoted upwardly and the Wheel units 1 can beremoved from the gunwale clamping assembly if desired. The presentinvention provides a simple and inexpensive device for launching,landing and transporting a boat. The wheel units can be readily movedinto proper position beneath the hull of the boat and locked in thisposition while the boat is still floating. The locking mechanism isactuated by the control lever situated alongside the gunwale and it isnot necessary to reach under the boat or into the water to lock orunlock the wheel units.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as beingwithin the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out anddistinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as theinvention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a boat having a keel strip disposed adjacent thelongitudinal centerline of the hull, a wheel assembly to be attached tothe boat to aid in launching, landing and transporting the boat, saidwheel assembly comprising a supporting frame pivotally attached to andextending downwardly from the gunwale of the boat along the hull and thelower end of said supporting frame extending inwardly beneath the hulltoward the longitudinal centerline of the hull, wheel means carried bythe lower end of the supporting frame and located in a vertical planebetween a vertical plane passing through said centerline and thevertical plane pass ing through said gunwale, and locking meansextending laterally from the wheel means toward said centerline anddisposed to engage the keel strip on said boat.

2. A wheel assembly to be attached to a boat to aid in launching,landing and transporting the boat, said boat having a longitudinal keelstrip on the exterior of the hull, comprising a pair of wheel units witheach wheel unit including a frame extending downwardly from the gunwaleof the boat along the hull of the boat, a wheel carried by the lower endof each frame, locking means connected to each frame and including alocking member movable between a locked and unlocked position, eachlocking member when in the locked position extending toward the oppositeframe and partially overlapping the other locking member and disposed toengage the keel strip on the boat, and actuating means located adjacentthe gunwale of the boat and operably connected to each locking means formoving the respective locking member to the locked position and intoengagement with the keel strip to securely lock each wheel unit to theboat.

3. A wheel unit to be attached to a boat to aid in launching, said boathaving a keel strip disposed adjacent the longitudinal centerline of thehull of the boat, landing and transporting the boat, comprising a frameextending downwardly from the gunwale of the boat along the hull, awheel carried by the lower end portion of the frame and located betweena vertical plane passing through the gunwale and the longitudinalcenterline of the hull, a locking member pivotally connected to theframe and being movable from a vertical unlocked position to a generallyhorizontal locking position wherein said locking member engages saidkeel strip, and actuating means having a portion extending adjacent theupper edge of the gunwale and operably connected to said locking memberfor pivoting the locking member between said unlocked and lockedposition.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which the locking member includes ahook-like portion adapted to engage the keel strip on the opposite sideof the keel strip from said frame.

5. A wheel unit to be attached to a boat to aid in launching, landingand transporting the boat, said boat having a central keel stripextending longitudinally of the hull of the boat, comprising a frameextending downwardly from the gunwale of the boat along the hull, awheel carried by the lower end portion of the frame and located betweena vertical plane passing through the gunwale and a plane passing throughthe oenterline of the hull, locking means pivotally connected to theframe and including a keel strip engaging element mova'ble from a firstunlocked position located substantially below the hull and inwardly ofthe wheel to a second locking position whereat said locking element isengaged with the keel strip on the opposite side of the keel strip fromsaid frame, an actuating member locked adjacent the gunwale of the boatand pivotally connected to the frame, and connecting means connectingthe actuating means and the locking means for moving the element betweensaid first and second positions.

6. The structure of claim 5 in which the actuating means consists of alever arm pivoted to the frame and movable in a direction parallel tothe gunwale.

7. A wheel unit to 'be attached to a boat having a keel strip to aid inlaunching, landing and transporting the boat, comprising a frameextending downwardly from the gunwale of the boat along the hull, awheel carried by the lower end portion of the frame, a locking memberpivotally connected to the frame and being movable from an unlockedgenerally vertical position to a locking generally horizontal position,first pivotal means for pivoting the locking member from the unlocked tothe locking position to bring said locking member into engagement withthe keel strip on the boat, and second pivotal means for pivoting thelocking member from the locked position to the unlocked position torelease engagement of the locking member with said keel strip.

8. The structure of claim 7 and including actuating means connected toboth said first and second pivotal means for simultaneously engagingsaid first pivotal means and releasing said second pivotal means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,235,034 3/ 1941Molloy et al 280-414 2,500,602 3/1950 Christensen 9-1 X 2,533,895 12/1950 Raveau 9-1 X 2,578,376 12/1951 Smith 9-1 X 2,954,569 10/1960 McCordet al. 91

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A BOAT HAVING A KEEL STRIP DISPOSED ADJACENT THELONGITUDINAL CENTERLINE OF THE HULL, A WHEEL ASSEMBLY TO BE ATTACHED TOTHE BOAT TO AID IN LAUNCHING, LANDING AND TRANSPORTING THE BOAT, SAIDWHEEL ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A SUPPORTING FRAME PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO ANDEXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE GUNWALE OF THE BOAT ALONG THE HULL AND THELOWER END OF SAID SUPPORTING FRAME EXTENDING INWARDLY BENEATH THE HULLTOWARD THE LONGITUDINAL CENTERLINE OF THE HULL, WHEEL MEANS CARRIED BYTHE LOWER END OF THE SUPPORTING FRAME LOCATED IN A VERTICAL PLANEBETWEEN A VERTICAL PLANE PASSING THROUGH SAID CENTERLINE AND THEVERTICAL PLANE PASSING THROUGH SAID GUNWALE, AND LOCKING MEANS EXTENDINGLATERALLY FROM THE WHEEL MEANS TOWARD SAID CENTERLINE AND DISPOSED TOENGAGE THE KEEL STRIP ON SAID BOAT.